I have to do research on the witness protection program for school. I haven't found much useful information online. Can someone give me more details on what occurs to someone who goes through the program? Is it just criminals who are put in the program? What are the stages? Where do they go and how are they protected? How long are they usually in the program before they can get their lives back? What happens if the people in the program contact people from their past? Any information would be helpful :) Thank you so much!

Strange school project.

There are state and Federal programs, the federal program is operated by the US Justice Dept though the US marshals service.

Any witness ( they may be a criminal or they may just be the lady on the street who saw something happen) They would be taken into protection and usually keep at a safe house under guard while the initial trial is going on. They would be given a new name, new drivers license, new social security number and work history. After the trial they will be relocated to some unknown place and helped with getting a job.

They are protected by being given a new ID so they can not be traced.

They are normally in the program for the rest of their life, and they never go back to their old life, since the reason they are going is that the mob or gang people will want to kill them, contracts on a person life seldom ends. Esp if a drug lord goes in prison for 30 years, he will have 30 years to want this person killed.

If the person in the program violates the rules, the program may move them again, but they are free to leave the program if they want to.

They are not ever suppose to contact anyone from their past.

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Originally Posted by ootararatoo

I have to do research on the witness protection program for school. I haven't found much useful information online. Can someone give me more details on what occurs to someone who goes through the program? Is it just criminals who are put in the program? What are the stages? Where do they go and how are they protected? How long are they usually in the program before they can get their lives back? What happens if the people in the program contact people from their past? Any information would be helpful :) Thank you so much!

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You can start your research at the us department of justice

I agree it's a strange topic.

The thing of it is that no two cases may be alike. It could be as simple as keeping someone in a safe place until the trial is over, to providing them with a complete new identity even up to plastic surgery.